The ESARQ Foros is a three year-long series of public evening talks every fortnight dedicated to contemporary architectural culture. Every year ESARQ invites architects, artists, scholars and other creative individuals and practices at the forefront of contemporary architecture, who present their ideas at the ESARQ’s Aula Magna, Iradier’s campus, Inmaculada 22, Barcelona.

Being the first of three years, in 2014 we will be kicking off our series of talks ‘Transformations‘ with architect and urban planner Pietro Laureano, UNESCO consultant for arid regions, water management, Islamic civilisation and endangered ecosystems, on the 3rd of February at 7pm.

When we talk about ‘transformations’, we talk about the starting point, the beginning of the road back to what each person considers to be essential. The objective of these talks is to instigate awareness of our core intentions. We will look at the primary source of our concepts and our emotions, those that we know about and feel towards. Thus, the wider meaning of the word ‘transformation’ involves an exercise of examining what already exists in order to then later transform it by way of keeping a part of what is strictly unchangeable, admiring its non-perishable quality throughout time.

The literal meaning of the word ‘transform’ is to “change from one form to another”. Architects create form and the processes through which changes, adjustments, variations, developments and transgressions take place. Taking into account all these aspects together with their degree of importance, their involvement in the territory, the landscape, the city, housing, what already exists and so forth. A transformation therefore becomes a sensitive subject because it is heavily dependant on our sensorial perception. Reflecting on this has become a very important exercise that requires a lot of attention; especially in our time, due to the general over-saturation of everything around us. It has been thought as a meeting point in which various individuals will express the details of their professional development that led them to do what they do, and to become who they are.

The ESARQ Foros 2014 series are likely to foster some collectable moments that can be used to identify oneself individually. Those moments will unavoidably arise doubt and lack of confidence, as well as right and wrong answers. The bottom line: these critical moments are true opportunities to understand one’s reality as one’s personal journey. On the one hand, we will talk about urban planning and how it materialises. The things that make up a city, the landscape and circumstance. The way relationships between one another are established and their gradations. These talks aim to introduce a fresh approach to explain life, social issues, relationships, indifference, identity and the reputation of a location, so that people will be enticed to develop a personal viewpoint. With ‘Transformations‘ we are trying to make all those aspects interact, and for personal experiences to be revisited. Projecting, doing and thinking architecture — that is transformation.

In the second year, in 2015, we will continue the series with a focus on ‘a Matter of Things’. More details about the series and speakers line-up with be circulated in due time.

In the third and last year, in 2016, we will wrap up the series with ‘Origins‘. More details about the series and speakers line-up with be circulated in due time.

Save the date!
Join us on the 3rd of February at 7pm in the Aula Magna for the first talk of the series with Pietro Laureano. Also to say thank you to Jorge Vidal (Event Director), Marga Barceló and Albert Guerra (Assistants & ESARQ Alumni) for all the hard work which they put into organising the entire event.